Today In Salisbury’s History: Sunday, Dec. 6, 1970

An estimated 20,000 spectators attended Saturday’s Jaycees Christmas Parade, making it the largest such event in the city’s history. Crowds lined the streets from Riverside Drive and through town, all the way to Poplar Hill Avenue, where the parade disbanded. The large crowds were attributed to ideal weather — sunny skies and a high of 45 degrees.

Tensions between City Council and County Council members appear to be growing as discussions about a District Fire Tax are continuing. Adding to the tension was a statement released Thursday night by the Hebron Fire Company stating its opposition to such a tax. City officials have said their fire and ambulance expenses are growing and they want compensation. City leaders say their stats show more than 50 percent of the calls they handle are for business and residential addresses outside the city limits.

Asbury Methodist Church members say they have no money to pay professionals to paint their Camden Avenue church, so they will paint it themselves. James Reynolds, Elmer Meise and Russell Wharton have devoted their spare time in the last few weeks painting the exterior. They figure the paint to cover the massive structure will cost between $4,000 and $6,000. The church is now seven years old and is beginning to show traces of wear. Wharton said he will be the one who paints the building’s massively tall steeple and will complete the job clinging a boom crane.

A total of $347,000 is requested in the county’s five-year capital improvements program for projects including a dam for the future Beaglin Park Drive, land to increase the size of the county dump, and a sewer and water connection to a planned state center for mental retardation patients. Also sought is $157,000 for bulkheading projects at Nanticoke Harbor and Jackson Harbor.

A car owned by a Laurel woman apparently slipped out of gear while parked near the Peninsula General Hospital nursing dormitories on Saturday and rolled down the hill near Waverly Drive, across Carroll Street and into the Wicomico River. The car went completely out of sight in the water; it took a city scuba diver to find the vehicle. A large crowd gathered to watch the car pulled out by a tow truck.

Salisbury Mayor Dallas Truitt escaped injury when his car collided with another vehicle at the intersection of East Carroll Street and South Salisbury Boulevard. Truitt, 63, was driving east on Carroll when he slowed for traffic on Route 13. Joyce Ann Phillips, 37, apparently tried to pass the mayor and turn right onto Route 13 and the vehicles collided. Phillips was also unhurt. Damage to the mayor’s car was estimated at $400.

Huge extension cords from Downtown power sources were extended through ground-floor windows into Peninsula General Hospital, which has been without normal power since a fire Friday. An electrical panel caught fire Friday evening; it took nearly 5 hours to get generators working to restore heat and light. Fortunately the East Wing — where Intensive Care, the Emergency Room and the Operating Rooms are located — was unaffected.

Greg Bassett is editor and general manager of Salisbury Independent. Reach him at gbassett@newszap.com

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